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As the individual lives of four young London women slowly came together, they finally met in the notorious Newgate jail where they all awaited the results of various criminal offences. Because even petty offences were criminal acts in 1820s London – the verdicts of transportation for all four of them was devastating but not unexpected. Friday Woolfe was a streetwise prostitute and knew her way around; she befriended and cared for young Sarah Morgan, Rachel Winter and Harriet Clarke. Before long the four young women were as close as sisters; they looked out for each other always.
When the convict ship, the Isla left, bound for New South Wales, the horrors of seasickness meant only eleven of the over one hundred and twenty women and children on board didn’t succumb. Out of the four friends, only Harrie remained healthy – she found herself helping in the ship’s hospital under the watchful eye of Dr James Downey, also second in charge of the Isla. As the days slowly made their way into weeks, the prisoners settled into an uneasy routine. But with only women on board, there were some among the crew and paying passengers who were not at all honourable. When tragedy struck as the ship was only a few weeks from the coast of New South Wales, Rachel was one whose life changed forever.
Transferred to the Parramatta Female Factory on arrival, they found a place which was overcrowded and not dissimilar to Newgate Prison. But as the four friends waited to be assigned, their uncertainty and sense of looming loss was paramount. How could they remain together? Was there a way – but they were convict girls with no say in what would happen to them…
I absolutely loved Behind the Sun by Aussie author Deborah Challinor. My first by this author, and the first in the "Convict Girls" series, I can’t wait to read the next. Beautifully written, the characters are incredibly real – the bond between the four girls was deep and everlasting. Behind the Sun is an amazing tale of historical fiction which I have no hesitation in recommending highly.
Genre: General Fiction
When the convict ship, the Isla left, bound for New South Wales, the horrors of seasickness meant only eleven of the over one hundred and twenty women and children on board didn’t succumb. Out of the four friends, only Harrie remained healthy – she found herself helping in the ship’s hospital under the watchful eye of Dr James Downey, also second in charge of the Isla. As the days slowly made their way into weeks, the prisoners settled into an uneasy routine. But with only women on board, there were some among the crew and paying passengers who were not at all honourable. When tragedy struck as the ship was only a few weeks from the coast of New South Wales, Rachel was one whose life changed forever.
Transferred to the Parramatta Female Factory on arrival, they found a place which was overcrowded and not dissimilar to Newgate Prison. But as the four friends waited to be assigned, their uncertainty and sense of looming loss was paramount. How could they remain together? Was there a way – but they were convict girls with no say in what would happen to them…
I absolutely loved Behind the Sun by Aussie author Deborah Challinor. My first by this author, and the first in the "Convict Girls" series, I can’t wait to read the next. Beautifully written, the characters are incredibly real – the bond between the four girls was deep and everlasting. Behind the Sun is an amazing tale of historical fiction which I have no hesitation in recommending highly.
Genre: General Fiction
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